Of all the concerns that plague a woman when she is pregnant, hair perming is one. Though it arises after all your other concerns have been addressed, it is a concern nonetheless. So, is it safe to perm your hair during pregnancy? Find it out in the following HerHaleness article.
When you are pregnant, the focus shifts from yourself on to the being inside you. That little one growing within you gets all your attention, your love, and everything you do, you do keeping in mind her/his health. As such, your pregnancy becomes a crucial time, where every action you want to take for yourself, first becomes a question regarding the safety of your baby. Similar is the case regarding perming your hair during this crucial time. All old wives’ tales tell you, that undergoing such a procedure is not safe and can harm your baby. But how true are these tales? Let’s take a look at what the effects of this procedure are.
Perming Hair While Pregnant
During pregnancy, in plain, simple terms, your hormones go haywire. This can cause a lot of bodily changes, including changes in the texture and quality of your hair. This happens as the production pattern of the hormone estrogen changes in your body. A lot of women find that the quality of their hair improves when they are pregnant. The choice to perm the hair then, is personal.
If you are dissuaded from perming your hair while pregnant, it is only because of the hormonal changes in your body. Because of these changes, how your hair will react to the chemicals used in the perming process is something that is unpredictable. It may become frizzy instead of the curly locks you were hoping, or may have little effect on your hair overall. This is why, hair dressers often advise pregnant women not to do anything to their hair during pregnancy. Relaxing hair while pregnant, again, may have the same effect, in that, it may not show the expected results, but affect the overall quality of the hair. Even the best hair relaxers may not do the trick, because of the changed quality of your hair.
While hormones can change the way your hair reacts with chemicals, it can also change the reaction of your skin to the same. Some of the chemicals that are used in the perming process are absorbed by your scalp (in very small amounts). It is possible that these may react to your skin and cause some side effects. This however, is true of any woman, who is not pregnant too, because some may have very sensitive skin. As such, it is a good idea to have a patch test done before you undergo any hair treatment.
Those of you, who still wish to get their hair permed in pregnancy, there is some good news. There are numerous products that have now been formulated specially for pregnant women, that allows them to revamp their hair and overall style without any concerns. With the use of what manufacturers claim to be ingredients safe for pregnant women, you can avail of this opportunity without worrying about its after-effects. However, these products do not guarantee that your hair will in effect, look like what you expect it to, after the procedure. As mentioned earlier, the raging hormones may make your hair look vastly different after a perm, and you may simply end up hating your new look. The one thing about your appearance, that you could control during your pregnancy, will be out of your hand.
Just one important tip: If you decide to have your hair permed when you are pregnant, ensure that you do so only after your first trimester. Before you choose to perm your hair, keep in mind, the aforementioned considerations. Also, talking to your doctor and subsequently a hair care expert, before you undergo this procedure is advisable. This is because, you don’t experience any negative effects of the perming process, in terms of your health and the health of your baby, and your overall appearance.
